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| President Park Geun-hye listens to an official from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during her visit to the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Thursday (KST). / Yonhap |
Visit to NASA seen as catalyst for sharing resources
By Kang Seung-woo
WASHINGTON — President Park Geun-hye visited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Thursday.
Her visit to the U.S. agency's first space research laboratory came 50 years after her father and former President Park Chung-hee, who was keen on advancing science and space technologies, toured NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 1965.
She vowed to step up efforts to advance cooperation with the United States in the sector.
"Despite Korea's short history in the space sector, it became the 11th member of the Space Club after successfully launching the Naro rocket in 2013. In addition, we are seeking to launch a lunar orbiter and a moon probe by 2020," Park said.
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| In this 1965 file photo, Park's late father and former President Park Chung-hee, second from right, along with his wife Yuk Young-soo look at a replica of a rocket during their visit to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. / Yonhap |
The space club is comprised of countries that currently operate space centers and can send satellites into orbit.
"I hope cooperation between Korea and the U.S. in lunar and space exploration will broaden and help the two countries share space resources," she said.
The NASA visit came as Seoul and Washington are seeking to open a new frontier of their bilateral alliance in space programs, which has been all about security cooperation against North Korea's threats so far.
"The Goddard center has a history in U.S. space exploration, so I hope that my visit serves as an opportunity to upgrade bilateral cooperation in the field," she said.
Park was welcomed by Goddard Center Director Christopher Scolese and the first lady of Maryland, Yumi Hogan instead of Gov. Larry Hogan, who is fighting cancer.
In addition, International Space Station (ISS) Commander Scott Kelly celebrated Park's visit to the center through a pre-recorded video message, shown on a Samsung Electronics ultra-high-definition television.
"Orbiting 250 miles above the Earth, on behalf of my crewmates, I want to extend my warmest wishes from space to President Park on the occasion of her visit to Goddard," Kelly said. Kelly is one of six astronauts aboard the ISS — two Americans, three Russians and one Japanese.
Initially, Park planned to have a video talk with Kelly, who has been in space since March, but technical and weather issues prevented that.
Also, the President was debriefed about NASA's Mars exploration program before touring the facilities at Goddard.
While Benjamin Reed, the deputy project manager of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office at Goddard, was giving an overview of his project to Park, she expressed deep interest in the NASA's programs with various questions.
"Can satellite robots be used to clean up space debris as well as meteorites," Park asked.
She also came up with questions such as, "What is the core technology of a satellite refueling mission?" and, "What will be the synergy from bilateral space cooperation between Korea and the U.S.?"
The Goddard center was set up in 1959, one year after NASA's establishment, and manages operations for many NASA and international missions including the Hubble Space Telescope.
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